Trump, Targeted

BY Advocate.com Editors

March 07 2011 10:35 AM ET

A gay activist in New York City is calling for a boycott of Donald Trump's businesses and associations following the mogul's statement that he opposes equal benefits for same-sex couples.

Last week, Trump, who is weighing a 2012 presidential campaign, expanded on his opposition to marriage equality, saying that he does not believe same-sex couples should be entitled to equal benefits under the law.

The New York real estate mogul and reality TV host, who plans to make a decision about his candidacy by June, spoke with The Des Moines Register on Thursday. Trump is reported to be courting Iowa Republicans.

According to the Register, Trump, who has been married three times, reiterated the opposition to marriage equality he expressed last month, but when asked about equal benefits for same-sex couples, he said he was also opposed.

“‘They should not be able to marry,’ said Trump. But asked whether gay couples should be able access the same benefits as married couples, he said his ‘attitude on it has not been fully formed.’

“Given a second to think, Trump said on marriage and civil benefits, ‘As of this moment, I would say no and no,’” reported the Register.

According to New York Daily News, Allen Roskoff, the founder of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club in New York City, has called for a boycott of his businesses and the products advertised on his show, Celebrity Apprentice.

"Not only should gays be furious, we should be boycotting the products of the advertisers on his TV show, and certainly boycotting his casinos and hotels and apartment buildings," said Roskoff, the Daily News reported.

Despite his stance, Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner served as honorary hosts of a fundraiser for Freedom To Marry in January.